ReverbNation: Khalid Quesada

Welcome to DrunkenWerewolf’s ReverbNation column; a place where you’ll find the fruits of our labour following out partnership with the app and social media music goliath. Here are our final results.

New Jersey musician Khalid Quesada bills himself as an Elvis Costello fan fronting a Weezer cover band with an Elliott Smith influence. The description couldn’t be more suited to a man who writes punk-pop songs and pairs them with an unbelievably good sense of melody and melancholy. Think Smith’s Figure 8 if it were released ten years earlier and backed by random label mates from Kill Rock Star’s roster.

Quesada grew up listening to The Monkees and Kiss. Although 90s grunge began to take a hold in his teens; the former band’s pop sensibility still acts as a stronghold on his music. What’s more, Quesada’s sound is steeped in history, but it’s also inherently timeless. There’s a charming, chart inspired undercurrent to this underground musician’s sound that could see him propel to the mainstream.

Now based in Hamilton of his home state, Quesada recently released his debut EP proper. Entitled On the Verge of Context, it contains four songs from his forthcoming debut album. As accomplished as they are polished, “Radio Silence” and “We Love in Stereo” indicate a musician waiting patiently in line for the limelight.

Listen to lead song “Radio Silence” below and find out more about Khalid Quesada on ReverbNation.